High 5 For Small Business: Be more productive working from home

Do any of your readers work from home? People think it's easy, but in reality the distractions and commitments can be overwhelming. If you think your work-at-home readers could use some tips on being more productive and less stressed, be sure to pass along this month's High 5 article. _______________________________________________________________________________  High 5 For Small Business: Be more productive working from home By Marc Gordon For many business owners, working from home can bring efficiency, reduce overhead and allow more time to spend with family. The problem is that there can also be more distractions such as kids, household chores, and running errands. And these can lead to some serious stress. Here are five ways to help you become more efficient and less stressed while working from home. Have a designated work area. Forget the kitchen table - have a room with a door to call your own. Train your family to know you are unavailable when the door is closed. Schedule your time. Set aside blocks of time throughout the day and week for work, chores, meals, errands, and "me time". Keep set hours. It can be easy to take a few hours off in the afternoon then work till midnight. The problem is that this can lead to you working too many hours or not enough, resulting in either exhaustion or a lack of business growth. Try to keep your hours in line with the rest of your industry. Have a "second office". Studies have shown that a change of scenery can make you more productive. So grab the laptop and head off to a coffee shop or local library for some creative thinking. Go to networking events. It's easy to become solitary working from home, making you unmotivated and uninspired. Meeting new people will not only keep you sharp, it may even bring in new business. ____________________________________________________________________________        High 5 is a fully branded, publish ready article for your magazine, journal, or blog. Each article is around 220 words and shares 5 informative and practical tips on a specific topic. The article is yours to publish at no cost. All I ask is that you include the logo, bi line and photo where possible. All of these items are contained in a ZIP file that can be downloaded by clicking the DOWNLOAD button Look for your next High 5 article in your inbox April 1st.      Cheers, Marc Gordon marcgordon.ca PS. Looking form more High 5 articles? Find them all in one place. Click here! ________________________________________________________________________________ About Marc Gordon Marc Gordon is a marketing consultant, professional speaker and author specializing in small business. His articles have appeared in hundreds of publications, journals, and blogs throughout North America. His online show, marctv, has been rated one of the top 25 B2B blogs on the web.   Marc Gordon c/o Fourword Marketing Tel: (416) 238-7811 Visit marcgordon.ca or fourword.biz for more information. Watch the newest episode of marctv.